Nathan Myhrvold: Working with Hawking, NASA's Errors, and Innovation
Theories of Everything with Curt Jaimungal
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Intro
This chapter highlights the significant achievements of a visionary individual known for their diverse impact on scientific and technological advancements. It covers their work on nuclear technology, public health, geoengineering, and the transformation of research practices within tech companies to promote collaboration and innovation.
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Episode notes
Curt and inventor Nathan Myhrvold discuss how Myhrvold stays extraordinarily productive, his collaboration with Stephen Hawking, and controversial viewpoints on NASA data, COVID lockdown policies, and geo‑engineering solutions to climate change. The conversation also touches on the challenges facing theoretical physics, modernist cuisine, and how to discern trustworthy science.
- 00:00:00 - Introduction
- 00:01:08 - Curt's story of becoming interested in Nathan Myhrvold
- 00:05:04 - How does Nathan remain so productive? (daily habits?)
- 00:08:49 - The difficulty in taking pictures of large storms, waves, birds, and meteors
- 00:11:54 - What problems are outside Nathan's ken? (nuclear power, etc.)
- 00:15:22 - Working with Stephen Hawking (practically, how does one do so?)
- 00:17:41 - Comparing Hawking to Einstein
- 00:22:24 - Newton's contribution to the minting of coins (the ridges are because of him)
- 00:23:46 - What's holding theoretical physics back (since the 80's)?
- 00:28:43 - General relativity and quantum mechanics combine in a candle flame
- 00:30:21 - String theory, Weinstein's Geometric Unity, Wolfram's computational model, and Supersymmetry
- 00:50:04 - Our ideas of "simplicity" in math is wrong
- 00:50:48 - "Laser cooking" and modernist cuisine
- 00:52:50 - Reasons why Curt fasts
- 00:53:40 - About "simplicity" in math and physics, continued
- 00:54:49 - How does Nathan learn a new domain, quickly?
- 01:00:16 - How would Nathan "solve the problem" of COVID?
- 01:03:18 - RNA viruses replicate haphazardly and we're lucky COVID hasn't mutated more
- 01:10:17 - Current lockdown is worse than doing nothing
- 01:13:20 - The WHO suggesting masks were ineffective / counter-effective
- 01:14:53 - The scientists are at fault because...
- 01:17:10 - Was it China's authoritarianism that curbed the numbers or another factor?
- 01:23:04 - What was different about South Korea, in response to COVID?
- 01:24:30 - Herd immunity
- 01:30:53 - COVID compared to the ordinary flu
- 01:38:34 - On the "new strain"
- 01:42:45 - No evidence for COVID being "only seasonal" and same with the common cold
- 01:46:58 - Why did NASA analyze their asteroid as spherical (giving abjectly incorrect data)?
- 01:50:38 - Solutions coming from outside the academy and established institutions
- 01:52:18 - We've underestimated the danger of asteroid collisions because of NASA's data
- 01:56:27 - NASA violated basic physical law, unethically
- 01:59:20 - What's the alternative to trusting mainstream science, when not everyone can investigate an issue on their own?
- 02:06:28 - How do you know what to trust in science without looking into the research yourself?
- 02:11:10 - Food myths: Margarine vs Butter, Olive oil vs bacon oil
- 02:14:10 - Health food advocates have killed people
- 02:15:19 - It's dangerous to physically take someone's temperature before allowing them to enter
- 02:20:25 - Why don't we talk more about geo‑engineering solutions to global warming?
- 02:27:53 - Global warming has become capitalism vs. something else
- 02:30:15 - The best solutions global warming via geo‑engineering
- 02:32:03 - Myth: You need "fresh" ingredients for the best tasting food
- 02:34:53 - How were the pyramids built?
- 02:35:26 - Opinions on UFO's and Bob Lazar
- 02:36:03 - On the Hard Problem of Consciousness and materialism
RESOURCES:
- YouTube link: https://youtu.be/YUXHLTlx9DA
- Patreon for conversations on Theories of Everything, Consciousness, Free Will, and God: https://patreon.com/curtjaimungal
- Help support conversations like this via PayPal: https://bit.ly/2EOR0M4
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/TOEwithCurt
- iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/better-left-unsaid-with-curt-jaimungal/id1521758802
- Pandora: https://pdora.co/33b9lfP
- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4gL14b92xAErofYQA7bU4e
- Google Podcasts: https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/Id3k7k7mfzahfx2fjqmw3vufb44
- Better Left Unsaid film: http://betterleftunsaidfilm.com
- 00:00:00 - Introduction
- 00:01:08 - Curt's story of becoming interested in Nathan Myhrvold
- 00:05:04 - How does Nathan remain so productive? (daily habits?)
- 00:08:49 - The difficulty in taking pictures of large storms, waves, birds, and meteors
- 00:11:54 - What problems are outside Nathan's ken? (nuclear power, etc.)
- 00:15:22 - Working with Stephen Hawking (practically, how does one do so?)
- 00:17:41 - Comparing Hawking to Einstein
- 00:22:24 - Newton's contribution to the minting of coins (the ridges are because of him)
- 00:23:46 - What's holding theoretical physics back (since the 80's)?
- 00:28:43 - General relativity and quantum mechanics combine in a candle flame
- 00:30:21 - String theory, Weinstein's Geometric Unity, Wolfram's computational model, and Supersymmetry
- 00:50:04 - Our ideas of "simplicity" in math is wrong
- 00:50:48 - "Laser cooking" and modernist cuisine
- 00:52:50 - Reasons why Curt fasts
- 00:53:40 - About "simplicity" in math and physics, continued
- 00:54:49 - How does Nathan learn a new domain, quickly?
- 01:00:16 - How would Nathan "solve the problem" of COVID?
- 01:03:18 - RNA viruses replicate haphazardly and we're lucky COVID hasn't mutated more
- 01:10:17 - Current lockdown is worse than doing nothing
- 01:13:20 - The WHO suggesting masks were ineffective / counter-effective
- 01:14:53 - The scientists are at fault because...
- 01:17:10 - Was it China's authoritarianism that curbed the numbers or another factor?
- 01:23:04 - What was different about South Korea, in response to COVID?
- 01:24:30 - Herd immunity
- 01:30:53 - COVID compared to the ordinary flu
- 01:38:34 - On the "new strain"
- 01:42:45 - No evidence for COVID being "only seasonal" and same with the common cold
- 01:46:58 - Why did NASA analyze their asteroid as spherical (giving abjectly incorrect data)?
- 01:50:38 - Solutions coming from outside the academy and established institutions
- 01:52:18 - We've underestimated the danger of asteroid collisions because of NASA's data
- 01:56:27 - NASA violated basic physical law, unethically
- 01:59:20 - What's the alternative to trusting mainstream science, when not everyone can investigate an issue on their own?
- 02:06:28 - How do you know what to trust in science without looking into the research yourself?
- 02:11:10 - Food myths: Margarine vs Butter, Olive oil vs bacon oil
- 02:14:10 - Health food advocates have killed people
- 02:15:19 - It's dangerous to physically take someone's temperature before allowing them to enter
- 02:20:25 - Why don't we talk more about geo‑engineering solutions to global warming?
- 02:27:53 - Global warming has become capitalism vs. something else
- 02:30:15 - The best solutions global warming via geo‑engineering
- 02:32:03 - Myth: You need "fresh" ingredients for the best tasting food
- 02:34:53 - How were the pyramids built?
- 02:35:26 - Opinions on UFO's and Bob Lazar
- 02:36:03 - On the Hard Problem of Consciousness and materialism
RESOURCES:
- YouTube link: https://youtu.be/YUXHLTlx9DA
- Patreon for conversations on Theories of Everything, Consciousness, Free Will, and God: https://patreon.com/curtjaimungal
- Help support conversations like this via PayPal: https://bit.ly/2EOR0M4
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/TOEwithCurt
- iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/better-left-unsaid-with-curt-jaimungal/id1521758802
- Pandora: https://pdora.co/33b9lfP
- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4gL14b92xAErofYQA7bU4e
- Google Podcasts: https://play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/Id3k7k7mfzahfx2fjqmw3vufb44
- Better Left Unsaid film: http://betterleftunsaidfilm.com
Theories of Everything with Curt Jaimungal features long-form, technically detailed interviews with leading researchers in physics, mathematics, consciousness, and philosophy, exploring topics at the level of active research. For academics, graduate students, and anyone seeking depth beyond popular science.
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